Pineapple harvester



June 8, l943. I `1 J, JACKSON I' 2,321,387

BINEAPPLE HAm'EsTERv Filed Jan. 5, 194C)` 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 l June 8, 1943- K. J. JACKSON PINEAPPLE HARVESTER I '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan; s, 1940 DDU ,zzraksam l @MMI June 8, 1943. K. J. .JAcKsoN I 2,321,337

I I PINEAPPLE HARVESTER u Filed Jan. s, 1940 7 sheets-sheet s Suma/wko@ 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 8,1943. l

mm. ...m .ummm mm .tv @am n. wm mm mm L wij H HU.- ,mwm www i nxxiiwinxunlnNrxKxx Kwiki# iuv*ili @mE m Jane s, 1943. Y K, JACKSON 2,321,387

'PINEAPPLEHARVESTER Filgd' Jag.' s; 1940 '7 sheets-sheet 5 K.- J. JACKSON PINEAPPLE HARVESTER `lune 8, 1943.

7 Sheets-Sheet 6- Filed Jan. 3, 1940 June 8,1943. K. J. JACKSON 2,321,387

PINEAP-PLE HARVESTER Filed Jan. Is, 1940 A '7 sheets-sheet v 5 a* I l l l l l l gru/umm v Tioksozy Patented June `8, 1943 narran sra'ras r err-rca A PINEPPLE HARVESTER Kermit J. Jackson, Honolulu, |ierritory ot Hawaii Application January 3,

5 Claims.

grade the fruit and to supply the boxes into the extra cost of the services of other workmen to sort over the fruit in the process of trimming, grading and packing. Another item of ourrent practice is to unload a more or less large number of boxes in proximity tothe dumping ground, it being a frequent occurrence that the number of boxes unloaded is in excess of the requirements, this resulting too often in hundreds of boxes being left unused for days .and subject to the danger. of being run over and broken by trucks.

On the same principle it is as likely that too few boxes will be left where required, thus necessitating leaving the picked pines lying upon the ground and subject to being crushed and thrown around. The foregoing arethe main disorders which the use of the instantapparatus seeks t overcome.

One of the fundamental purposes of the latter is to speed up the process of picking the pineapplesv. A large percentage of spoilage is readily avoided' inasmuch as the fruit can he transported to the Cannery during the same day that it is picked. This enables the canning of any bruised fruit which, lunder other circumstances. would begin to ferment. The use of the apparatusals'o eliminates the need of the shipping truck entering the eld twice, once to unload the empty boxes 'mentioned above, the second time to pick up the load. With this preamble in mind th dlng the pineapples from their growing state to 50 theiriinal packing in boxes yfor shipment, this handling comprising the functions of both human labor and machinery.

` Second, to provide an apparatus as described wherein the gathering conveyors or booms extend in both lateral directions from the sides of the machine over several pineapple lines or rows so as to enable covering a fairly large territory at each traverse of the machine, there being a provision for raising and lowering the outer` 1940, Serial No. 312.276

ends of boom conveyors to conform to uneven elds.

Third, to provide for turning said boom conveyors from their I aterally extended positions into positions of substantial alinement with the sides of the machine so as to facilitate transportation` of the apparatus from field to field. use then being made of demountable wheels at the far ends of said conveyors to ride the ground and carry the weight and' thus relieve the suspension cables.

Fourth, to utilize a suitable automobile truck for the locomotion of the apparatus as a trailer across the pineapple field, said apparatus carrying an independent engine for driving the mechanism embodied therein. A

Fifth, to employ what is hereinknown as a packing conveyor in conjunction with the foregoing truck, said conveyor being normally positioned alongside of the truck s0 as to be readily accessible to both the truck and to certain grading and distributing apparatus on the base of the harvester, said packing conveyor being swingable on a pivot so as to assume a iiaring position in reference to the side of the truck.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the followingy specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the pineapple harvester, illustrating its relationship to a field with lines or rows of growing pineapples.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the apparatus taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. ll..

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of one of the gathering conveyors, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Figure a is a detail plan view of a portion of the gathering conveyor illustrating the primary trimming knife.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the grading trough taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.l

Figure 6 is a cross section taken on the line fof Fig. 5. v

Figure 'Z is a perspective view of one of the detachable graders.

Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the fruit elevators as seen on the plane 8 8 of Fig. 3.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 8. Y

Figure l0 is a perspective view of one of the elevator troughs in Fig. 3.

Figure 1l is a longitudinal section of one of the packing conveyors taken on the line M of Fig. l. o

Figure 12 is a cross section of the packing conveyor taken on the line l2 l 2 of Fig. 1, also illustrating a portion of the grading trough.

Figure 13 is a vertical section taken on the line iii-I3 of Fig. 11 illustrating the pivotal 6o mounting of one of the packing conveyors.

Figure is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line I5-I 5 0f F18. 1.

It is desired to state by way of preface to the following description that the trimming apparatus and the grader for thepineapples, although 'dis.

closed in ful1,'are specifically claimed in division-` al applications filed by Kermit J. Jackson, filed November 5, 1940, Serial No. 364,451 and Serial No. 364,452 respectively.

In carrying out the invention use is made of an automobile truck I of any known type (Fig. 1) as the means by which the harvester apparatus l 2 is drawn over the ground. The latter comprises a field of pineapples 3 which are shown planted 'in rows 4, or lines, as they are commonly called.

These lines or' rows are separated by narrow paths` 5 which are intended to be walked upon b5'y the workers as the plants.

The apparatus 2 is mounted upon a' base '6 (Fig. 2) which is suitably wheeled 'at 1 so as to they pick the ripe fruit 'from cross pieces I9 as pockets, it is noted that said cross pieces are spaced longitudinally. This spacing'is of a predetermined distance and match as the spacing of certain troughs of a fruit eleyvator presently described.

It -is observed in Fig. 3 that the low'er flight of the conveyor 9 is not permitted to sag. This would be objectionable because of the length of the gathering conveyor.

` arm 25 of a' T, the vertical stem 26 of which is turnably 'set in holes 21 of an extension 28 from run on the ground surface. This wheeledbase carries all of the harvesterapparatus. The latter follows the truck I yas a trailer because'ofV the coupling 8 between the truck I and the base 6. The truck I is intended to move' slowly, and as it does the workmen `pick and deposit the pineapples upon each of a pairof gathering conveyors 9; At this point it may be stated that theleft and right sides of the harvesting apparatus are duplications. For that reason the dethat this description applies tothe left half in l scription is facilitatedby conning it to v that half of the mechanism on the right of the longitudinal center ofthe apparatus. vIt is to be understood every respect, and at such places whereat it is deemed expedient to duplicate the' reference Vnumerals on the left side; said numerals aredistinguished by having the exponent letters a added thereto.

It has been stated that the gathering conveyor 9 serves as a place of deposit of the pineapples ras-they-are picked-fromitne plant bythe workmen following the apparatus. Thelatter isl supposed; to be traveling in the direction ofarrow a (Fig. 1). The conveyor 9 extends laterally of the apparatus 2 like a long boom and because of that relationship it traverses the rows 4 so as to be in the most convenient position possible. The

' conveyor 9 comprises a framework which consists fundamentally of four angle irons III. These angle irons are arranged in upper and lower pairs in which relationship they are held-by a system of bracing yIl (Fig. 3). This bracing includes headers`I2, I3 (Fig. 3) which provide the supports' for cross shafts I4, I5. Said shafts carry pairs of sprocket wheels IB, I1,.to .which chains I 8 are applied.

The distance between these-chains is spanned I by cross sectionally triangular cross pieces I9 ofhard wood (Figs. 3 and 4).' These cross pieces are appropriately aflixed to parts'of the chainsl I8, pins being used periodically to function as the securing means as well as the trunnions of `rollers 2 I. Thesev rollers run upon the uppermost pair of angle irons I0 and thus relieve the conthe base` 6. This extension is part of a metal plate 29 which goes across on top of the back of the base. The mounting of the horizontal arm in the bearings 24 provides for a limited vertical turning of the gathering conveyor 9, while the mounting of the vertical stem 26 in the extensioni 28 provides for the requisite motion in the horizontal direction.

The' resulting swivel connection affords suiiicient freedom of the gathering conveyor 9 to adapt itself to variations in the ground level. This ,leads to the mode of suspension of the gathering conveyor. A mast 30 (Fig. 2) is erected rigidly upon -the base 6, and is appropriately braced in respect thereto for example by meansof the strut 3| (Fig. 1) which is shown extending forwardly to a place of anchorage upon the base 6. The top of the mast is capped at 32 to provide a place of attachment of a pulley pointof attachment at the bight of a sling 35 (Fig. 1) which loosely bridges the length of a cross arm 36,'to the ends of which said sling is down.

attached in any suitableway. The other end of "the cable 34 is wound ona drum 31 (Figs. 2 and 14) to which reference 4is made again farther As the pineapples 23 are advanced inwardly 'of the apparatus (arrows b, Figs. 3 and 4) they firstencounter a guide 38 (Fig. 4). The Workmenare supposed to exercise care in emplacing the pineapples uponY the conveyor 9 so that the stem ends willy face forwardly.. Said" ends then ride across the guide 38, and inasmuch as the latter is pitched inwardly of the conveyor it followsth'at the pineapples will be properly aligned with vthe primary -trimming knife- 139, Vwhich is located contiguouslyY to the shoulder. 40 of the guide.' The function of the knife 39 is to" produce .a clean' cut across the v butt or,root end as atI 4I.' The: root endy 42 thus d ropsoff. This functionis achievedl by setting the knife 39 in from the shoulder` 40, the lateral distance between the highest point of the shoulder and the plane of `=the v.knife v39 representing l'the amount `wise occur.-

. The Ypurpose in making the cross pieces 9 of triangular form'is to denne a series ofpockets mechanism. vTotheforegoing end of utilizing the that, is cutoff fr ornthbase of'the pineapple.

A-shaft 43,. carries the knife 39. Saidshaft is -jou'rnaled 'in bearings 44, 45', which. extend up from-[the 'conveyor framework. Thev bearing 45 has a larger-lateral loop 46 which makes roomfor .-the'foliage-Hof the pineapple. The shalt 43 carries a pulley4 48 which is belted v.at to a driver'pulley'g. The latter'is carried-by the cros's shaft- I4 `of `t h e conveyor and inasmuch as the driver ismuch larger' than the' pulley 48 it followsfthatthe latter will revolve at a much The arrangement is Asuch that the cross pieces 'I9 are ,permitted to the cross pieces i9.

depends from the underside of the conveyor' framing. At that point said arm is secured by means of a nut and bolt fl. This connection is desirably made to afford the demountable feature of the wheel 5l, so that the latter can be removed from the apparatus if and when desired. However, under ordinary circumstances said wheel is an asset inasmuch as it relieves a great deal of strain from the cable 3d when the wheel is permitted to ride the ground.

Power for the operation of the gathering .conveyor 9 is derived from a countershaft 55 (Fig. lll) which has a chain and sprocket wheel connection 5E, 5l, with the cross shaft lf3. 'I'his connection synchronizes the motion of the gathering conveyor 9 with a fruit elevator 58 (Fig. 3). Said elevator comprises a pair of chains 5e which are trained over pairs of sprockets 6U, El, respectively on the counter-shaft 55, and a cross shaft 62 in a matching position at the top of a standard 63. The chains 59 carry troughs 6ft at intervals. The spacing of these troughs matches the spacing of the pockets 22 between evident the need for synchronization between the gathering conveyor Si and the fruitelevator 58.

, of being bruised or crushed. The troughs Se are ended, so to speak, by a guide G55, which is slotted at SS (Fig. 3). The purpose of the guide is to provide an abutment for the foliage end of each pineapple.

This function is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9.

This circumstance makes' proper operation of the knife 1l.

shafts 62, 12. Theformer pulley is largest, thereby providing forv the speed necessary for the operates directly in back of the guide 6 5 (Fig 9) so that the foliage 6l is removed with a clean cut (arrow e, Fig. 8) as-each pineapple is brought into position. -As seen in Fig. 8 the flange of y the outermost angle iron is cut away at ll so as not to interfere with the motion of the knife.

, Each of the packers 'IB comprises a blade 18 Y pivoted at 19 to a xedly'mounted stud 80 that this sleeve and it provides the anchorage for` y one end of a spring 82, the other end of which The angle irons which comprise the guide B5 are rounded rather fully at i to provide rests for the contiguous end 88 of the pineapple. The foliage dl is intended to project through the' slot SS which the spacing of the angle irons affords. The two angle irons are firmly connected so as to maintain said spacing, but at least one of the connections 69 is of Iloop form so as to allow for the passage of the foliage.

The pineapples 23 are pushed over toward and into the guide 65 by a seriesof packers l0 (Fig. 8). Each of these comprises a pusher which is adapted to allow for a variety of lengths and to exercise pressure on the previously trimmed vbase end so as to properly emplace each pineapple in respect to a rapidly rotating secondary trimming knife ll. This knife is carried by a is anchored elsewhere, preferably to the blade "le next highest.

Thus, as each blade "I8 is depressed (arrow f, Fig. 8) the resulting motion of the respective arm 8l (arrow g) expands the attached spring 82, but in doing so swings the packer next 'highest inwardly to a'slight degree (arrow h). Thus while one of the packers is occupied with pushing a pineapple over to the right to the foliage trimming position, the packer next highest is moved inwardly to 'insure its standing in the farthest in waiting position and in readiness for the pineapple when the later is elevated into the range thereof.

With respect to the highest, packer l0, it is necessary to anchor 'the respective spring 82y somewhere on the standard 63, for example, to the nearest bracket i3. Each of the troughs Sli is slotted at B3 (Fig, 10) t0 pass the series of packers 18. These slots are central of the troughs, and since they obviously are intended to match the positions of the packers, it follows that the latter will exercise their pressure more or less directly against the'center of the butt of the pineapple. This, in turn, insures the best possible positioning of the pineapple for thc trimming off of the foliage.

Following the cutting off of the foliage lil, which completes the trimming operation, the pineapple passes over the crown of the elevator 58 (arrow i,.Fig. 3) and falls into a grader t (Figs. 3 and l5) by way of a curved chute 85. This chute is integral with a fixed trough section 88 (Fig. 3). This section heads a plurality of detachable troughs 8l, 88, These troughs are also known as detachable graders. Two of them are shown, but the number can be varied to meet the needs of any particular apparatus.

Fig. 7 illustrates one of these troughs or gradto define a slot 9U from end to end of the trough.

shaft 12-which is journaled in brackets13. These brackets are a part of the standard 63 and in practice the latter may consist of a framework somewhat on the order of the framework of the conveyor 9, the elements thereof -being braced at 1d (Fig. 8) to produce a perfectly stable structure.

The driving of the knife 'll is accomplished by pulley and belt connections l5, E (Fig. 8). The pulleys are carried by the conveyor and knife The spacing is established by yokes 9 I. The ends of these yokes are secured to the sides 89 in any desired way, and said yokes extend down far enough not to .interfere with the progress of the pineapple.

The spacing of the 'slot 90`will be the narrowest of the two troughs 8l, 88, Consequently the small pineapples will fall through first. The slot. 90 of the trough 88 is for the larger pineapples. The sides 89 (Fig. 7) are flanged at 92. The vflanges of the troughs are rested upon the top edges of rigidly mounted angle irons 93 (Fig. 3) which comprise parts of the grader 86. It. is between these angle irons that the trough 86 is xed at the head of the grader. Inasmuch as the troughs 87, 88 are separate from each other and are merely rested upon the angle virons The latter 93, it follows that said troughs can be.L detached from the grader and substituted by others having a different slot spacing.

A drive chain 84 (Fig, 5). operates above the grader 84. The sprockets 95 Awhich carry it are mounted at such an altitude that the lower ight of the chain 94 traverses the top plane of the grader 84. or substantially so. This chain carries paddles 96 which. when traversing the grader 84 because of said relationship of the lower chain fiight,-push the pineapples from the fixed trough 86 along the other troughs 81, 88 until they fall through one or the other of' the slots 90.

The sprockets 95 are carried by shafts 91, 98.

Said shafts are journaled in brackets 99, |00.'

which extend up from parts of the framing. Driving power for the chain 94 (Fig. 5) is derivedfrom a transmission (Fig. 14). The transmission and other driving details are described farther down. As the graded pineapples fall through the slots 90 (Fig. 8) they enter a curved chute |02 which is partitioned at |03 to so sub-divide the chute that there will be a section for each one of the detachable graders. The head end of the chute |02: has a. rounded terminal |04 which prevents any inadvertent backing off of the pineapples. The rounding causes the pineapples to roll forwardly. The other extremity |05 of the chute |02 is ended at |06 to retain the last and largest pineapples.

At this point it is observed in Fig. 5 that the chute extremity |05 extends beyond the adjacent terminal |01 of the grader trough. Said terminal is open. Pineapples sufficiently large to avoid falling through the slot 90 of the last trough 88 are discharged at the open terminal |01 intothe extremity |05.

'I'he chute |02 curves down and eventually merges. into a belt trough |08 (Fig. 6). This trough is flanged at |08 to insure the retention and guidance of the top flight of al conveyor belt ||0. This belt is intended to receive pineapples as they roll down the chute |02 and then 9. It comprises a rigid frame |28, preferably made up of an assemblage of angle irons (Fig. 12) which are connected by plates |29 (Fig. ll) and crossed braces |30. The bracing of the frame |28 includes sets of end plates |3I, |92, which are modiiled to provide bearings for the shafts |33, |34, of the pulleys |35, |36 by which the belt |31 is carried and driven. Both flights of the belt are located on top of the horizontal flanges of the angle irons |28 (Fig. l2), said angle irons being so stationed that all of them have their remaining flange components extended up wardly. thus to provide lateral guides to keep the boxes in place.

convey them forwardly (arrow k, Fig. 1) past a 2 number of workmens stations r| i2, and H3. This belt is carried by a pair of pulleys II4. ||5

(Fig. 15), the first of which is one of a pair im` a shaft Hs (Fig. 14) that extends erosswise of the machine.

Said shaft ||6 and the shaft vof the pulley ||5 are supported by brackets ||1, ||8. The

brackets ||8 are parts of the belt trough |08 and their formation includes a. fence ||9 (Fig. 15) which is intended to prevent the inadvertent passage of a pineapple beyond the forward extremity of the conveyor belt ||0. The partitions |03 (Fig. 5) have extensions |20 across the belt trough |08 serving the purpose of stops for the Vpineapples of the various grades. Each extension or stop is pivoted at |2| to the respective partition. The normal position of each stop is down, thereby to corinne the various pineapples to those portions of the chute |02 devoted to the prearranged sizes. If i1; lshould be chosen to let some of the pineapples pass down to' the next grade, the stop |20 may be raised to the dotted line position (Fig. 6) thus to remove the obstruction from across the belt ||0.

Each of the workmens stations |2. ||3. is distinguished by having a'. roller table at one side. These roller .tables are designated |22, |23, and |24'(Fig. 1). The roller table |22, using this one as an example, comprises a. pair of sides |25 Y, (Fig. 2) supported at their ends by the belt trough |08 and by braces |26 which extend down to the In effect the packing conveyor |21 provides a double trough.- These troughs are readily distinguished in Fig. 12 where they are designated |38, |39. The socalled trough |38 accommodates full boxes |40. (Fig. ll) While the trough |39 accommodates the empties |4|. Since these boxes are usually as broad as the conveyor |21 is wide, or substantially so, the weight of the load is imposed in each instance upon the horizontal flanges of the angle irons |28. This is a material factor in the prevention of the sagging of each flight of the belt.

As in the instance of the gathering conveyor 8 (Fig. 3) the packing conveyor |21 is pivoted at one end. The pivot structure comprises bearings |42 (Figs. 11 and 13) on the underside of a portion |43 of the end plates |3|. These bearings are turnably supported on the. horizontal arm |44 of a T. the vertical stem |45 of which is journaled for horizontal turning of the conveyor |21 in a step |46 at the virtual extremity of a crosspiece |41 on the base 6;

Driving power for the conveyor belt |31 is derived from a worm shaft |48 (Fig. 14), the worm pinion |49 of which is in mesh with a worm gear |50 (Figs. 11, 13 and 14). 'Ihis worm gear is integral with a large bevel gear |5|, the assembled gears being situated between the step |46 (Fig. 13) and a boss |52 on the stem |45. From this arrangement it is seen that the assembled gears have bearing on the step. 'Ihey rotate upon the stem |45. but are totally independent thereof. The weight of the adjacent end of the conveyor |21 is rested upon the assembled gears by virtue of the bearing that the boss |52 has upon the gear |5I.

It'is thus possible for the conveyor |21 to'be turned horizontally without affecting the gears |50, |5|, and on the -same principle for said gears to rotate continuously at any radial position of The earlier function is achieved bythe intermeshing of a bevel pinion |53 (Fig. 13) with the gear |5|. The shaft |54 by which this pinion is carried juts outfrom the conveyor frame |28 (Fig.` 13). Said shaft is rigid on the frame and in addition to carrying the bevel pinion |53 it also carries a sprocket |55. Said sprocket and the bevel pinion are preferably madel as one..

Thechain |56 of thev sprocket |55 is applied to a sprocket Wheel |51 on one end of the shaft |33.

Thus the, driving power derived from the worm,

.of the packing conveyor |21.

shaft |68 is transmitted to the packing conveyor belt |31 through the gearing and sprocket connections shown in Fig. 13. I

Inasmuch as the packing conveyor |21 is required to handle a fairly heavy load at alltimes, provision is made of a rest |58 approximately midway of the length of said conveyor (Figs. 1

and 11). This rest is desirably made of channeled iron (Fig. l1). It is constructed in a substantially triangular form (Fig. -12) so that the hypotenuse 53 can function as abrace. Said rest is part of a channel piece |30 (Fig. 12) which goes across the base 6 and has the plicated on the other side.

The angesV of the top portion of the rest |50 are directed upwards, thus to provide a passageway and guide for a roller |6| on the'underside This roller` is carried by a support |62 (Fig. 12) which is attached to and spans the distance between the lowermost pair of the angle irons |23. The rest |50 is curved (Fig. 1) to match the arc on which the conveyor-|21 is adapted to swing when. moved on its pivot stem |45.

The purpose of moving the packing conveyor |21 on its pivot is to are it in respect to the truck i. It is readily seen in Fig. 1 that when said conveyor is moved to the approximate dotted line position l, the truck is readily backed into position for the securing of the coupling. rlihis movability of the packing conveyor |21 is also to advantage in the use of the apparatus because there arertimes when the workmen will need more room, and at other times the shifting of Y said conveyor facilitates loading and unloading.

Said shifting is done by a crank |33 (Fig. 1) on the rear end of a shaft |665 which may or may not require universal joints, such as depicted mast 30. The drum shaft carries a worm gear |16 which is adapted to be turned by a worm pinion on a hand crank shaft |16. The nature of the intermeshing worm teethprovides a check against the counter-rotation of the drum 31 when an adjustment of the free end of the conveyor 3 is arrived at. However, should the need of apawl and ratchet develop, these elements are readily added to supply an extra check against the counter-rotation of the drum.

The transmission 10| derives its power from an engine |11 of any desired kind. This engine is carried by the base t, and it is independent of theengine in the truck l.

. aient, which is belted at |80 to a larger pulley 18| on the worm shaft M8. This shaft carries a double-bevel pinion |32, the-obvious purpose of making it-double being to'simultaneously drive the pair of shafts |83, |8311 of transmission |01.

The shaft |83 has a bevel gear It@ in mesh with the pinion |82, and it carries a pulley |85 which is belted at |06 to a pulley |81 on the counter-shaft 55. This shaft, it will be remembered (Fig. 3A), drives the fruit elevator 53. The topcross shaft $2 of said conveyor has a bevel gear |23 (Figs. 3 and 9) in mesh with a bevel pinion |33 on the previously mentioned shaft 91 (Fig. 5) of the grader 30. Thus the belt |86 (Fig. 14) drives the fruit elevator 50 and the grader 3d and inasmuch as the chain '5t (Fig. le) is coupled to this source of power, said belt |32 also serves to drive the gathering conveyor 9.

at |35 (Fig. 11). This shaft is journaled upon the framing and at its forward end it carries a sprocket |63 (Fig. 12) to which a chain |61 is f applied. This chain is supported by an idler sprocket it@ on the outer extremity of the rest 15%. A pair of clips |60 (Fig. l2) upstanding from the top ight 0f the chain |31 have the packing conveyor |21 stationed between them, for which purpose they are spaced the requisite distance. Upon turning the crank |53 either one way or the other, the packing conveyor is turned on its pivot M5 (Fig. 13) into either of the two positions shown in Fig. 1, or into a position intermediately thereof.

The direction of motion of the top and bottom iiights of the belt |31 (Fig. 11) is shown by the arrows m, n. The empty boxes I M being lightest are more readily lifted down from the altitude of the top flight than if they had to be handled at this distance in their loaded condition. The bottom flight of the belt is slightly below the level of the roller tables |22, |28 (Fig. 12) and for that reason i-t is easiest to move the loaded boxes from said tables through appropriate side openings `|10 inthe conveyor frame |23 vThe pulley iid of the conveyor belt il@ (Fig. 15). is driven by a belt |90 (Fig. '14) which is applied to drive and driven pulleys' |91, |592, respectively, on the worm shaft M3 and the pulley shaft |15. In concluding the description note is made .of the seat |92 (Fig. l) which is desirably but not necessarily mounted on the base of the apparatus behind the mast 30. This seat is for an operator who will be required for the working of the various controls and also for the supervision ofthe workmen and the apparatus.

The operation is readily understood. The general assemblage is illustrated in Fig. l. The gathonto the bottom flight of the belt. The loaded boxes are carried forwardly and are adapted to be checked by a stop |1| that is part of the end plates |32 (Fig. 11). An opening |12 adjacent 'to this stop provides for the removal of the load-y ering conveyors 3, 3a, extend out to each side of the base G .so as to sweep over the rows f3 of plants. Obviously this statement is thus limited because of the specifically stated use yof the apparatus. But by an extension of the principle the apparatus could be used in conjunction with gathering objects other than pineapples. workmen in the field follow the assemblage which is supposed to be traveling in thedirection of the arrow a (Fig. 1)

As they pick the pineapples from the plant they place them in the pockets 22 (Fig. 3) whereupon they are transported first past the primary trimming knife 39 whence they are delivered to the fruit elevator 58 for another trimming by the secondary knife 1|. The butt and foliage ends are thus carefully trimmed.

The trimmed pineapples arethen delivered to the grader 84 by way of the chute 85 (Fig. 3)

them fall into the chute |02, |05, which is pary titioned to keep the various sizes separate.` The conveyor belt I I0 moves all ofy the pineapples for- The shaft |13 of the engine |11 carries a pulley |19 or its equiv- The.

' lower ilight of the belt |31.

wardly so as to place them within reach of the v workmen in the stations ||I, ||2, ||3.

It will be understood that in actual practice these stations will be a little farther apart than indicated in Fig. 1. For example, there would be more space rearwardly of the roller table |22 than indicated. Inasmuch as the workman in the station stands directly beside said roller table it follows that the belt ||0 has utility in respect to that station, inasmuch as in actual practice the trough 81 is fairly long and extends farther rearwardly than the drawing seems to indicate. Y

Empty boxes |4| are transported to the ileld on the truck (Fig. 1) whence they are unstacked onto the top ight of the belt |31. From here they are hauled down onto the three roller tables and are lled with trimmed pineapples fairly quickly whereupon the rollers facilitate the displacement of the loaded boxes |40 onto the The loaded boxes are removed from the packing conveyor |21 as quickly as they appear at the opening |12 by the same workmen who previously emplaced the empty boxes, and said now loaded boxes are restacked in the truck and presently transported from the field to the cannery. Thus there is no needv for great numbers of extra boxes.

Inasmuch as the wheels 5| optionally of the caster type, hitherto described as being demountable, may be left emplaced beneath the extremity of each gathering conveyor 9, it follows that their periodic engagement with the ground will produce a backward strain on the respectivelconveyor. Even disregarding this circumstance, it is desirable and necessary to brace each gathering conveyor. This is accomplished by a stout wire or rod |93 (Fig. 1), one'end of which is emplaced in a clip |94 on the side of the gathering conveyor, theother end being anchored somewhere on the base`6, for example, at the end of the channel iron rest |58.

1. Harvesting apparatus comprising a mobile base, a gathering conveyor extending` out from the base over a field of fruit for the delivery ofl the fruit to the base as picked, an independently powered truck having a` coupling to the base for transporting the latter and its carried parts, said truck being adapted to carry containers both empty and loaded, a packing conveyor movably mounted on the base and adapted to be stationed plemented with a roller table for facilitating the handling ofthe containers both while empty and loaded; means for transporting the fruit from the gathering conveyor to the, packing conveyor, and

means for adjustably swinging the packing con-` t 65 2. Harvesting apparatus comprising a mobile veyor on its movable mount so `as to variousl station it inreference to the truck.v

basegadapted to be. transported over a Yfield of fruit, a .packing conveyor includinga belt, the respective runs of which are adapted to. carry empty andv loaded containers toward. .and away from agdesignatcd workmans stationv on the base, i

means extending across the lower run of the belt for stopping the containers before they reach the end o'f said run, a vertical stem providing the pivotal mounting for one end of said packing conveyor on the base, drive means for said belt including at least one gear utilizing the stem as an axle, means at a distance from said stem for supporting said packing conveyor, and means working in conjunction with said support for moving the packing conveyor, said means including a movable flexiblev element having at least one upstanding clip adapted to exercise a push against the packing conveyor.

3. Harvesting apparatus comprising a mobile basega coupling at one end of the base for the attachment of a truck by which the apparatus is adapted to be transported over a eld; conveyor means reaching out from the base and adapted to have articles emplaced thereon for delivery to the base, means used in conjunction with packing said articles in boxes, said means consisting of a packing conveyor disposed longitudinally of the base and truck, and pivot means byr which one end of said conveyor is attached contiguously to the opposite end ofthe base for outward swinging from the base to a aring position in reference to the truck to facilitate backing the latter to its coupling, and means for transporting `fruit from the conveyor means to the packing conveyor. v

4. In a, harvesting apparatus for pineapples, a packing conveyor pivoted at one end for advancing empty containers to' a packing stationv at one end of the conveyor, means, for supplying pineapples to the station, said packing conveyor including a belt, the respective runs of which are adapted to carry empty containers towards the packing vstation loaded containers away from the packing station, means in the path 0L the moving loaded containers-for stopping .said containers at the end of travel of said containers on the lower run, the empty containers being carried by the upper run in a direction which is opposite to the direction ofl travel ofthe -loaded containers on the lower run and means intermediate the ends of the packing conveyor for swinging the conveyor on its pivot.

5. In a harvesting apparatus for pineapples, a packing conveyor pivoted 'at one end for advancing empty containers toa packing station at one end of the conveyor, means for supplying pineapples to the station, said` packing conveyor including a belt, the respective runs of which lare adapted to carry empty containers towards the packing station loaded containers away from thepacking station, means in the path of themoving loaded containers for stopping said containers at. the end of travel of said containers on the lower` run, the empty containers being carried by the packing conveyor and intermediate the ends ofl said conveyor, means extending from the endless member and engaging opposite sides of the packing conveyor and means for moving the endlessl member for causing the packing conveyor to swing in a horizontal plane on its pivot.

KERMIT J. JACKSON.,v 

